NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 140, 10 December 1931, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Getting Closer. A wireless message received yesterday by the Wellington Harbour Board from tho tugs towing the floating dock intimated that tlio dock* was then 150 miles east of Brisbane. It is still a matter of conjecture winch day its arrival hero may be expected, much depending upon the weather experienced. Tho floating dock, however, should bo here in time to form a xeiy acceptable Christmas present to the Harbour Board and to Wellington in general. When Speed Limits Count. "If you have an accident aad it is proved that you were doiug more than, twonty-five miles an hour in a town area, it is practically impossible to e&capo conviction," said Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., in the Upper Hutt Magistrate's Court yesterday, when convicting two defendants on charges of driving at a speed and in a manner which might have been dangerous to the public. A Narrow Escape. The State hatchery, National Park, had a narrow escape from destruction from fire on Saturday evening. "Fires had been burning on Maori land,'' writes a correspondent, "and about 9 p.m. campers had suddenly to turn out, pack their baggage and standby to leave. Mr. Parsons, the manager, had all his furniture packed on a lorry. For an hour we kept our cars well hosed to prevent damage from flying sparks, but the wind dropped just in time, and by 10 p.m. we had returned to our huts. Next morning we found that the flro had. got to within 50 yards of the manager's house. So this beautiful reserve on tho banks of tho Tongariro has been again spared." Try in Streams. Streams in the Wellington Acclimatisation District are very well stocked with trout fry, according to a report presented by Mr. E. J. C. -Wiffin to the council of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society last evening. Reporting upon a recent visit to tho district with the rangers, Mr. Wiffin discounted any suggestion that tho methods of liberation were not efficient. On the contrary ho was satisfied that the society was excellently served in tho stocking of its streams, as all the streams vis" ited wero plentifully supplied, except the Waikanae, which for some reason had gone back. "While in tho Manawatu district we liberated fry in three tributary streams of the Manawatu Kiver, the Tlautarawa, Tiritea, and Tokomaru Bivers," Mr. Wiflin added, "Banger Andrews drew my attention to the vast number of natural fry in tho Kautarawa stream, and informed me that tho two other streams were carrying just as many naturally spawned iisli. In fact, it seemed to bo a waste of good and valuable material to put fry into theso streams, for there is no doubt that these streams arc tho spawning streams of the largo healthy fish in tho Manawalu River." Attempt on Mount Tutoko. Three Southland mountaineers and one from Canterbury will make.an attempt on Mount Tutoko, the oG9oft peak near Milford Sound, during tho Christmas holidays. Mr. Gordon Spedcn, of Gore, who is a member of tho New Zealand Alpiuo Club, will lead tlio party,'and tho other members will bo Messrs. D. Dickie, G. M'Bride (Gore), and A. Jackson (Timaru). The party/ will leave Gore on 19th December and will attempt the ascent from tho Lower Hollyford. Mount Tutoko is considered ono of tho most difficult peaks in the Dominion, and has been climbed only once—by the late Mr. Samuel Turner, of Wellington, who was accompanied by the Franz Josef guide, Mr. Peter Graham. Mr. Turner made six unsuccessful attempts from Milford, but succeeded on flic seventh, which.was made front the Hollyford.